There are many fields of application of contactlessly readable data carriers, such as so-called contactless chip cards for example. By way of example, access control to buildings by means of such contactlessly readable data carriers is known. In this case, an access-authorized user has a company badge comprising such a data carrier, wherein the data carrier contains a multi-digit, unique serial number. The data carrier is read by a reader installed in the building and checked with regard to its validity, and if it is valid a door, a turnstile, etc. for entering the building is opened by a control unit.
Ticket systems, for example for access control in football stadiums, operate in a similar manner. To this end, installed in the entry area of a stadium are readers which read corresponding entry tickets provided with a contactlessly readable data carrier and where appropriate may allow access (once again via turnstiles for example).
The use of contactlessly readable data carriers as ski passes is also comparable. A user has a corresponding pass and the contactlessly readable data carrier is valid for example for a certain number of journeys using a ski lift or for a certain length of time, for example one week. In the entry area to the ski lifts there are readers which contactlessly read the ski passes and, if they are valid, allow access to the ski lift.
Considerable market potential for the use of contactlessly readable data carriers is currently provided in the field of (local) public passenger transportation. The known paper tickets can in this case be replaced by a modern electronic fare management system, and this provides advantages both for the operator of the passenger transportation system and also for the users.
Specifically, a user (passenger) in the known passenger transportation system has an electronic ticket on a contactlessly readable data carrier, for example on a passive secure memory chip (FeliCa™ or MIFARE® card according to ISO14443A) or on a smart card chip. Active readers are used to check the validity of the tickets and possibly to debit a fare in the case of tickets which can be loaded with credit. Communication between the reader and the passive readable data carriers is usually based on communication protocols ISO7816 and/or 14443.
For the operator of such a passenger transportation system, it is advantageous that the manufacture and complicated selling of the paper tickets can be omitted. For the user, it is advantageous that there is no need to obtain paper tickets—in the case of loadable tickets, the corresponding fare is simply debited from the ticket. There is then also no longer any need to know the tariff—something which is often a problem particularly for passengers who are not from the area. Tickets which are valid only for a certain period of time, for example monthly passes, can start on any day of the month.
One disadvantage of these known ticket systems for passenger transportation systems is that a user, who usually does not have a reader, is not able to read the content of his data carrier. The user thus has no simple possibility for discovering the duration of validity of his ticket or for discovering the amount of credit still remaining on the ticket.
Furthermore, it is necessary to install active readers in the stations and/or vehicles of the passenger transportation system, and on the one hand these readers have to be maintained and supplied with power and on the other hand they are considerably more expensive than the passive data carriers of the users.
Accordingly, such known ticket systems are expensive and complicated for the operator both to set up and maintain.